Milad-un-Nabi

27 September 2023 - 28 September 2023

Religious

Srinagar, Jammu And Kashmir

18°C / Clouds

Observed as Prophet Muhammad's birthday, Id-e-Milad, also known as Milad-un-Nabi, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the Muslim community. It is observed in the third month of the Islamic calendar which is known as the Rabi’al-awwal.

The story behind the festival dates back to the very initial days of Islam. It was a time when Islamic followers used to have religious sessions in the honour of their revered Muhammad. These sessions also included poetries and songs that were sung and recited amid huge public gatherings. In the year 1588, the Ottoman Turks even declared this day as their official holiday and named it Mevlid Kandil.

And it was perhaps owing to this, that the term Mawlid has also been used in various parts of the world such as Egypt, majorly referring to the birthdays of historical and religious figures like Saints and Sufis.

History of Milad-un-Nabi

In the initial days of Islam, the followers of Islam used to observe the celebrations privately. However, after some time, the arrangements began to be held in public. It is said that initially the celebrations were started by a religious scholar of that time Abu ‘I’ Abbas-al Azafi. They were first introduced in the city of Ceuta which is located in Spain.

It was done to strengthen the bonds between the Muslim community as well as to counteract the Christian festivals. It is believed that the origin of Milad un Nabi can be traced back to the 8th century. This was the time when Prophet Muhammad’s house was essentially converted into the house of prayers by Al-Khayzuran who was none other than the mother of Caliph Harun-al-Rashid.

Originally, Milad-un-Nabi was celebrated by the Shia community of the Muslims. However, by the 12th century, even the Sunnis adopted this festival. But there was much resistance from the Sunni community initially. It was not until around the 15th century that Milad un Nabi was widely accepted. And by the 20th century, many regions also declared national holidays on the account of this festival.

The very early celebrations of this festival included a Sufi influence, animal sacrifice as well as torchlight processions. The celebrations used to happen during day time mainly, which is in stark contrast to the modern-day observances.

Major Attractions of Milad-un-Nabi

1. Within the Muslim community. Milad-un-Nabi is celebrated as a day of festivities and fun. However, most people celebrate in a variety of ways such as visiting mosques, distributing sweets, spending quality time with the family, singing, and indulging in arts and lectures.

2. Distribution of Sweets. On Milad-un-Nabi, Muslim people express their happiness by distributing sweets to their neighbours, family, and friends. However, honey is one of the majorly distributed food among the Muslims on this day. This is mainly because of the fact that many scholars used to believe that honey was the favourite food of their prophet.

3. Visiting Mosques. On this day, Muslims don’t miss visiting the mosque at all to offer their prayers. And after participating in the prayers, people generally indulge themselves in discussions pertaining to Muhammad and his life.

4. Singing. The special occasion also witnesses the Muslim community singing in great joy and happiness. Among all the tracks, one of the major and most popular songs is Maulaud. As per the traditional values of Islam, singing this song brings good luck and also reaffirms the loyalty of the devotee towards God.

Famous Food and Clothing for Id-e-Milad/Milad-un-Nabi

Milad-un-Nabi holds a very special place in the Muslim community. On this day, people prepare a variety of delicacies to distribute to their friends and for their own consumption. Some of the most popular sweets are Baklava and Seviyan which are essentially prepared with many other delightfully scrumptious sweets. The Muslim men generally wear Kurta and Pyjama and the women go with Abaya, Jilbab, and Duppata.

How to Reach

The best place to celebrate Milad-un-Nabi is Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir are famously called the Paradise on Earth and rightly so. This place is full of picturesque landscapes and mesmerizing elegance of nature. It is located at a distance of around 589, 2,768, 1,957, and 2,114 km from Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Kolkata respectively.

By Air. For travelling to Kashmir via air you will need to take a flight to Srinagar airport. The Srinagar airport is very well maintained and well-connected to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, etc. After deboarding at the airport, you can easily take a cab to reach your specific destination.

Delhi - Board Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, Spicejet flights from Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airfares start from Rs.8,000
Mumbai - Board Air India, Go Air, Spicejet from Mumbai Airport. The airfares start from Rs.9,000
Kolkata - Board Spicejet, Air India, Go Air flights from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. The airfares start from Rs.10,000
Madurai - Board Spicejet, Air India, IndiGo from Madurai airport. The airfares start from Rs.12,000

By Train. The nearest railway station is the Jammu Tawi railhead. Travelling via train, one gets to see the incredible natural views of the terrific scenery which the land of Kashmir has to offer to anyone and everyone. Some good options to travel to Kashmir via trains are New Delhi-Jammu Tawi Rajdhani Express, Jammu Mail and Jammu Tawi Express, etc.

Delhi - Board SVDK Vande Bharat from New Delhi Railway Station and deboard at the Jammu Tawi
Lucknow - Board Amarnath Express from Lucknow NR and deboard at the Jammu Tawi station
Jaipur - Board Aii Jat Express from Jaipur Junction and deboard at the Jammu Tawi station
Amritsar - Board Ju Jat Express from Amritsar Junction and deboard at the Jammu Tawi Station

By Road. Travelling to Kashmir via road can really be a great and memorable travel experience for anyone, especially if you are travelling with your friends. The overall road connectivity from Kashmir to other nearby and major Indian cities is quite good. You can choose to travel by private buses or interstate buses as well.